'Lifelike' explores the space between reality and artifice

Untitled by Maurizio Cattelan, a 2001 mini-elevator made of stainless steel, composition wood, electric motor, electric light, electric bell and a computer. On view at the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego through May 27.COURTESY OF THE ARTIST AND MARIAN GOODMAN GALLERY, NEW YORK

That's the question you might ask yourself while viewing the latest exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, overlooking the majestic Pacific Ocean in La Jolla.

You might say the group show "Lifelike" is a case of art imitating life. Or, it could be more complicated than that – art that looks realistic and mundane, like boxes, paper bags and a dumpster, but is actually commenting on notions of authenticity and mass production versus the handmade.

Through May 27, MCASD is presenting an international, multi-generational group exhibit that explores reality, artifice and the slippery spaces in between. "Lifelike" features a number of well-known artists, including Andy Warhol, Jasper Johns, Robert Rauschenberg, Charles Ray, Vija Celmins, Chuck Close, Gerhard Richter, Ed Keinholz and Ai Weiwei.

But the exhibition also showcases some artists that are not so well known in Southern California, such as Dike Blair, James Casebere, Eteban Pastorino Diaz, Ugo Rondinone and Catherine Murphy. The exhibit was organized by the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis and curated by Siri Engberg.

For the uninitiated, much of the work on view here is conceptual art, or art in which the ideas and concepts behind the making of the piece are as important or more important than the actual finished product.

The artists in "Lifelike" owe a lot to Marcel Duchamp, the French-born artist and theorist who shocked the art world with "Fountain" (1917), a urinal bowl he signed "R. Mutt" and submitted to an exhibition of the Society of Independent Artists. The "readymade" was rejected, however, it wound up having a profound influence on 20th century art. "Fountain" challenged the values by which art was judged and adored, and even stood the very notion of "art" on its head.

Clearly, many of the artists in "Lifelike" are trying to achieve the same goals as Duchamp. But, because of the meticulous handiwork and craftsmanship required to create some of these objects, one could call this show a collection of post-readymades.

"Lifelike" starts with a 2011 dumpster by Kaz Oshiro that looks like it's made of steel and tagged with spray paint. It's actually made of acrylic on stretched canvas with caster wheels. Although the viewer cannot see the back of the piece, it's supposed to be hollow, like much of Oshiro's work.

The Japanese artist has a couple other contributions to this show – "Sony Bookshelf Speakers" (2003-04) and "Zero Case Spinner (gun metal – torn FRAGILE stickers)" (2011). They are basically a set of six speakers arranged vertically on a gallery wall, and a scuffed black suitcase. But again, the actual materials used are the surprise: acrylic and Bondo putty on stretched canvas. It's amazing, yet also perplexing, that Oshiro was able to transform typical artist's materials into objects that are commercial, mass-produced and generally created from wood, plastic and metal.

Along similar lines is the sculpture, "Paper Bag" (1968), by Alex Hay. At nearly five feet tall, it looks like an unusually large, flimsy paper bag, but in actuality, it's hard as rock, made of Fiberglas and epoxy, with spray lacquer and stencil on paper. As the conceptualists might observe, there is a difference between perception and reality.

Another interesting piece is Celmins' "Eraser" (1967), which is in the collection of the Orange County Museum of Art in Newport Beach. It looks like a large "Pink Pearl" eraser, but it's actually a piece of balsa wood painted with acrylic.

Celmins, a Latvian American artist who taught at UC Irvine from 1967 to 1972, could easily serve as a poster child for "Lifelike." Many of her paintings and sculptures are careful, faithful re-creations of photographs, landscapes or actual objects. She has drawn numerous ocean scenes with a mere pencil. In fact, it's often difficult to tell if her works are photos or hand-rendered, which is part of Celmins' success and mystique.

Another superstar of the art world – Rauschenberg – plays with the idea of readymades with his work, "Cardbird Box II" (1971), which consists of cardboard, wood and offset printed paper. A label on the box says "Anaheim Boulevard, Anaheim." One wonders if the late artist found this box or made it; the exhibit catalog suggests he did a little bit of both.

One installation that is sure to delight the kids is an untitled work from 2001 by Italian Maurizio Cattelan. The piece features two identical mini-elevators, each about 33 inches tall, with operating doors and floor lights. There's a sense of play and make-believe as the elevator doors open and close. Visitors will speculate if the cabs inside actually travel up the blank gallery wall (I was informed they do not).

Untitled by Maurizio Cattelan, a 2001 mini-elevator made of stainless steel, composition wood, electric motor, electric light, electric bell and a computer. On view at the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego through May 27. COURTESY OF THE ARTIST AND MARIAN GOODMAN GALLERY, NEW YORK
"Dumpster (Flesh with Turquoise Swoosh)," a 2011 work by Kaz Oshiro. It's made of acrylic on stretched canvas and caster wheels, and it's on view at the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego through May 27. PHOTO BY KAZ OSHIRO; IMAGE COURTESY OF THE ARTIST AND GALERIE FRANK ELBAZ, PARIS.
"Eraser" by Vija Celmins, a 1967 acrylic on balsa wood. It's in the collection of the Orange County Museum of Art, and is a gift of Avco Financial Services, Newport Beach. On view at the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego through May 27. COURTESY OF MCASD AND OCMA
"Ace," a 1979 acrylic on masonite piece by Daniel Douke. On view at the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego through May 27. COURTESY MINNESOTA MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART, SAINT PAUL
"American Spirit" by "Matt Johnson is a 2010 piece made of paper, plastic, foam, paint and magnets. This work actually hovers in a glass case because of the magnets. On view at the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego through May 27. JOSHUA WHITE, &#169; MATT JOHNSON
"Paper Bag," a 1968 work by Alex Hay. It's made of fiberglass, epoxy, paint and paper, and it's in the collection of the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York. It's on view at the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego through May 27. PHOTO BY JERRY L. THOMPSON; IMAGE COURTESY OF WHITNEY MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART AND PETER FREEMAN, INC., NEW YORK.
"Heartland" by Jonathan Seliger, a 2010 enamel on bronze that's 8 1/2 feet tall. On view at the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego through May 27. COURTESY OF THE ARTIST AND JACK SHAINMAN GALLERY, N.Y.
"Eggs," a 1964 oil on canvas by "Vija Celmins. This painting, in the permanent collection of the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, is on view at MCASD through May 27. COURTESY OF MCASD AND &#169; VIJA CELMINS
"Crouching Boy in Mirror" (1999/2002) by Ron Mueck is made of mixed media and a figure (not a real person). It's in the collection of the Broad Art Foundation, Santa Monica, and it's on view at the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego through May 27. COURTESY OF THE ARTIST AND ANTHONY D'OFFAY LTD.
"Hefty 2-Ply" (1979-1981) by Jud Nelson is made of marble. It looks like a full trash bag, but it's not. On view at the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego through May 27. COLLECTION OF WALKER ART CENTER, MINNEAPOLIS
"Curtain," a 2010 oil on linen by Peter Rostovsky. On view at the Museum of contemporary Art San Diego through May 27. COURTESY OF THE ARTIST

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